Serpent in the Water
by WildRecklessYouthInMe
Summary: Stella Sharpe is released from juvie to find that Riverdale has fallen prey to darkness. FP Jones is in prison leaving the Serpent gang in disarray and the Southside is teetering on the brink of civil war with the North. To make matters worse, Stella is being taunted by an anonymous source who claims to know all her secrets. Secrets that, should they get out, could ruin everything.


_-five years ago-_

Suren stared into the interrogation room before her as she had been for the past five minutes of silence, finding it odd to be on the opposite side of the two-way mirror that she always imagined she'd end up on. She chewed on her lower lip as she looked at the girl who sat alone in there with her knees cradled to her chest. Suren could hardly believe that she knew that frightened little girl for she was nearly unrecognizable. She could hardly believe that it was her baby sister whom she hadn't set eyes on in six long years.

It was Stella.

"Tell me again what happened exactly," Suren requested in a deadpan voice, unable to tear her gaze away from her sister. It was as if she thought Stella would evaporate into thin air if she didn't watch her like a hawk.

Sheriff Henry Turner, who stood stoically beside her, dutifully went over the events of that fateful night with her once more. He told her about the inferno that decimated the mansion she grew up in and about how her parents perished in the flames. Arson was the presumed cause, but the fire department had yet to conduct a proper investigation. The police had no suspects on the horizon, though Suren thought it was more likely there were just too many to choose from. According to Henry, it was a miracle Stella made it out unscathed considering the damage. He was the one who found her unconscious in the garden behind the house, assuming she must have made it out on her own somehow. He didn't know for sure because she hadn't said a word since her rescue.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Henry said half-heartedly at the end of his recap. He gave Suren's shoulder an awkward pat. "I know you were estranged from your parents-"

"Estranged is a nice way of putting it," she interjected bitterly.

He sighed and withdrew his hand knowing that his touch brought her no comfort. "Nevertheless, Celeste and Sebastian loved you very much. They were a pillar of this community and they will be dearly missed."

Scoffing, Suren turned her attention to Henry with her eyes narrowed disapprovingly. She knew he was only saying all the right things because that's what one was expected to do during such a time, but death did not make her parents saints. He knew that just as well as her.

The Sheriff had known about Celeste and Sebastian's dirty dealings for a long time, but he never lifted a finger to stop them even though he had an entire police force at his command. Instead, Henry took the payday. She was sure the only thing he would miss about them were the paychecks they used to write him every week. Her parents rewarded him handsomely for turning the other cheek, giving them information, and steering away any suspicion that may arise against them.

Suren, on the other hand, denounced her family name along with the fortune that came with it when she learned how they came about it. After discovering the truth, she legally changed her surname, moved to the Southside of town, and refused to take another cent from them. It disappointed her to no end that Henry wasn't stronger than his greed.

Maybe if Henry had properly done his job to serve and protect the people of Riverdale instead of merely serving and protecting himself her sister wouldn't have almost died that night. Suren's glare intensified at the thought; Henry shifted under her scrutiny. Her eyes soon returned to Stella.

"So, what now? What's gonna happen to her?"

"Well, you are listed as Stella's legal guardian," he replied.

She shot him a sideways glance. "You're joking."

"I can assure you I am not. Your parents personally informed me when they changed their will years ago. They were clear that should anything ever happen to them they wanted Stella placed in your care so their girls could be reunited."

Stunned into silence, Suren simply shook her head. Were Celeste and Sebastian trying to redeem themselves in death by giving her Stella? She'd always intended on getting custody of Stella someday, but this wasn't how she envisioned it happening. It was too sudden. She wasn't prepared for the responsibility.

"I'm only 24," Suren pointed out as she shuffled closer to the glass. "How am I supposed to take care of her by myself?"

"Afraid I can't help you there," Henry said in a gruff voice. "I'm retiring and getting the hell out of this town. I suggest you do the same. You two will have control of your inheritances soon. With that kind of money, you ladies could go almost anywhere in the world and live out your days comfortably."

Briefly peering over her shoulder to frown at him, Suren said, "I can't do that." In the years since leaving her family, Suren had established a life that she was quite happy with. She couldn't imagine uprooting herself and starting all over again.

Henry jutted out his chin to indicate Stella. "You need to do it for her. A Steele wouldn't last a day on the Southside."

"I did," Suren snapped back with a newfound vehemence, offended by the insinuation that she wasn't thriving on the Southside despite all the odds working against her. "She'll change her name like I did, we can make up a cover story. I just need...your help." It made her skin crawl to seek aid from the likes of Henry Turner, but she didn't have any other options. He was one of the only people who knew of the Steele sisters.

He could help them disappear.

Henry eyed her warily, considering what she could possibly ask of him. "Seeing as it's thanks to your parents that I can afford an early retirement with my family, I suppose I do owe yours one last favor," he agreed reluctantly.

Suren crossed her arms and faced Henry dead-on, her darkening eyes boring into his cloudy gray ones. As much as she hated to admit it, she was trying to channel her mother. She'd seen how Celeste treated Henry in the past. She needed Henry to be intimidated by her like he was by her mother. He needed to bend to her will like he used to bend to Celeste's. Her entire plan hinged on his cooperation, but she couldn't let him know how much power he held.

"Erase Stella from this investigation. As far as anyone is concerned, the only people in that house were Sebastian and Celeste. They died and left behind no children," she said with a ringing note of finality.

"I can do that," Henry affirmed after thinking it over for a moment. "The scene was so chaotic I doubt many people even saw her, I made sure to bring her in discreetly. I can grease some palms if need be."

Suren kept her expression neutral as a massive wave of relief crashed over her, though Henry's last comment couldn't help but make her wonder if every public servant in town was just as corrupt as him. She already knew Riverdale wasn't the quaint town it appeared to be, but perhaps its seedy underbelly went far deeper than she would ever know. She decided then that she never wanted to know for fear of finding out that it was actually an endless abyss.

Turning back to her sister, Suren muttered, "Looks like them hiding Stella and I from the world is gonna pay off after all."

"How are you gonna explain all this to her?" Henry inquired.

The question gave Suren pause. Now that he mentioned it, she realized she wasn't exactly sure what to say to her little sister or how to say it. She knew she would have to tell Stella everything. She dreaded the thought, but it was the only way to make her understand. She would have to be the one to tell Stella about what vile people their parents really were. Suren would have to tarnish their memory forever before their ashes were even done smoldering.

"I'll take her away for awhile. We'll lay low at a motel in Greendale until I can get her to come to terms with the new reality: She's not Stella Steele anymore. She never was."

Henry cleared his throat and said, "I think it's time you go in there."

She knew he was right. She couldn't put off facing Stella forever. Suren had wanted Stella back since the day she left home, but now that it was happening she couldn't shake her apprehension. Everything was suddenly all too real.

Breathing deeply, Suren braced herself. Her feet moved of their own volition and carried her to the door leading into the interrogation room. Without any further hesitation, she twisted the handle and pushed.

Stella's head jerked up at the sound of someone entering the room and jolted when the door slammed shut behind the older woman who also winced at the noise. Her eyes, wide and terrified, landed on eyes that matched the jade hue of her own. They belonged to someone familiar to her. They remained quietly staring at each other, neither able to gauge how much time was passing. It could've been seconds, minutes, or hours for all they knew before Suren finally spoke up.

She stopped herself short of wishing Stella a happy 11th birthday - she supposed there was nothing happy to celebrate - and instead asked, "Do you remember me?"

Stella was so young when Suren left that she always had a lingering fear in the back of her mind that she would be a stranger to her own sister. That weight was lifted off of her chest when Stella nodded. She couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face, but it quickly faded when Stella didn't reciprocate. She didn't seem nearly as glad to see Suren as she hoped. Suren chalked it up to the circumstances despite the nagging sense that there was more to it than that.

Upon hearing a whimper, Suren glanced to the floor to see the black puppy Henry had mentioned curled up beneath Stella's chair, blending in amongst the shadows. She cocked her head to the side and gestured to the animal. "And who's this?" She wondered aloud in hopes that it would get Stella talking.

Stella's feet fell to the floor. She gently tugged on the leash she clutched in her shaky hand, coaxing the puppy out from under her so that she could pick it up. It appeared to be several months old already, it's size making it difficult for her to hold onto with her skinny arms. "Cerberus," she answered as she gazed at him adoringly. Her voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper. "He was a gift from..." Stella trailed off, but Suren could fill in the blanks. He was a gift from their parents. They probably gave him to her mere hours before the fire.

"You named him after the guard dog of the Underworld?"

"From the stories dad used to read us."

A small smile twitched at Suren's lips. She may have hated her parents, but she still had good memories of them too that couldn't be erased. Like when Sebastian used to read Greek mythology to them before bed. Stella was too young to understand the stories and Suren was never really interested in them. What they really enjoyed was getting to spend time with their father who was often busy working.

If only it had been a normal job, their entire lives would have been different.

Suren took the seat across the table from Stella when she noticed she'd been shifting her weight from foot to foot since she first entered the room. She looked at her twiddling fingers in her lap and squirmed in the uncomfortable metal chair. It took her several minutes of adjusting before she was comfortable enough to look Stella in the eye.

Being face to face after so many years apart was strange to Suren. Actually, strange didn't even begin to cover it. It was like she was staring at an alien and it was staring right back at her thinking the exact same thing. Suren was as foreign to Stella as Stella was to her. She could tell by her detached glare.

Henry's words about Stella's miracle escape resurfaced in Suren's mind, piquing her own curiosity about how Stella managed to emerge from the fire without so much as a scratch. "How'd you get out of the house?" She found herself blurting. "I mean, do you remember anything about what happened tonight?"

Suren was practically on the edge of her seat awaiting a response. She'd be lying if she said she didn't want to know what happened to her parents. Stella was the one who could assemble the puzzle pieces.

Stella peered away, redirecting her eyes to Cerberus as she gently stroked his pointed ears. She shrugged, answering, "I don't know. I was in bed and then I was in the backyard with Mr. Turner. I didn't see anything. I'm sorry, I don't know who hurt them."

Though Suren couldn't see her face, she could see Stella's glistening tears fall onto Cerberus' fur. She instinctively stood up and crouched beside Stella, brushing her sister's ash dusted hair away from her wet cheek. Stella tensed under her touch but made no move to pull away.

"Hey, that doesn't matter, okay? The important thing is that you're safe. That's all I care about, and it's all mom and dad cared about, too," Suren reassured her. Guilt welled up inside her for even asking in the first place. Stella was clearly in shock, she didn't need to be interrogated.

Sniffling, Stella peeked over at Suren, studying her sympathetic expression with more skepticism than a child of her age should've been able to muster. "Why're you here, Suren?" She questioned through trembling lips.

Taken aback, Suren rocked on the heels of her boots and said, "Because you're my sister. We're family."

"But you've been gone for so long. Mom told me you didn't want to be part of our family anymore. She told me that's why you left all of us."

"I never wanted to leave you, Stel," Suren murmured, but it didn't seem to convince Stella. "We get to make up for lost time now because I'm gonna take care of you. Mom and dad wanted us to be together."

Disbelief showed on Stella's face. "What? I don't want to go with you."

Despite the fact that it was delivered softly, hearing that was like taking 100 swift punches to her gut. Suren's pain showed plainly. Her mouth hung open as she tried to come up with the right thing to say. A sharp knocking on the double-sided mirror distracted her, causing her to whip her head around. That was Henry signaling that they had to leave.

"Shit," Suren said under her breath, raising herself from the floor. She turned to Stella and extended a hand for her to take. "I'm sorry, but we have to go."

"No, I'm not going anywhere with you," she protested, clutching Cerberus closer to her body like a shield.

Her hand falling back to her side, Suren let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "I can't believe I'm about to do this," she mumbled lowly to herself. She locked eyes with her sister and raised her voice as she said, "Jericho."

Stella abruptly straightened up in her chair. She knew what that word meant. It was the code their parents drilled into them since before they could even speak. To them, 'Jericho' meant that there was danger coming and they needed to get themselves to safety. It was only to be used in dire situations.

Suren hated using it. She didn't want to frighten her sister after all she'd been through, but she knew it was the quickest way to get her out of the station. She rationalized it by telling herself she was doing it to protect Stella. After all, there could very well be danger if anyone besides Henry saw them there. Or perhaps whoever was responsible for killing their parents would come back to finish the job.

"What's going on?" Stella asked, a glimmer of panic in her eyes. Cerberus hopped to the ground as she came to a stand. She cautiously got closer to Suren with Cerberus trotting obediently behind her.

"Let's just get out of here and I'll explain everything. I need you to trust me," Suren pleaded with urgency in her tone. She offered her hand once more.

This time, Stella took it.

* * *

Suren closed the door behind them and swiftly set all the locks in place as Stella sat on the squeaky bed. Leaning her forehead against the wood, Suren closed her eyes and took some deep breaths. She allowed herself a moment of respite. She'd gotten them to Greendale safely. They were stuck in a shitty motel frequented by prostitutes and their skeezy clientele, but they were safe nonetheless.

Her heart sped up when her phone started ringing and she dug it out of her jacket pocket. FP's name lit up the screen. Suren clenched her jaw as she declined the call. She couldn't talk to him. Not yet.

"Why're we here?" Stella questioned with distaste.

Suren turned to her and nearly tripped over Cerberus. He was standing between her and her sister, wagging his stumpy tail with his tongue lolling out. If Celeste and Sebastian's intention had been to get Stella an intimidating guard dog then they failed in that task. Suren easily maneuvered around him to sit hunched forward on the ottoman across from Stella. She propped her elbows up on her knees to keep her legs from anxiously bouncing and tucked her inky-black hair behind both her ears.

"You do the same thing mom does," Stella pointed out with a hint of a smile which was wiped away when she realized her mistake. "Did," she corrected herself.

"What thing?" Suren prompted, her brows furrowing.

"She put her hair back like then when she was stressed about something," Stella said. "So what is it? What's wrong?"

Rolling her lips into her mouth, Suren stared at the stained carpet. She didn't even know where to start. All she could think about was what happened after she found out the truth about their parents.

She left home with next to nothing and joined society with little clue as to how it worked after living in near isolation for the better part of two decades. Suren got herself a job, a place to live, and found a new family along the way in FP and the Southside Serpents. She did all of it on her own because she had to. She reminded herself that Stella wouldn't be alone like she was. She'd have her big sister there to hold her hand every step of the way.

Suren had no other choice but to trust that Stella would be able to accept everything she was about to hear. Her whole life was about to change. Both of theirs were.

After realizing how long she'd been quiet, Suren raised her head.

"Why did you use Jericho?" Stella asked again upon seeing the grave look on her sisters face.

"Stel...there are some things you need to know about mom and dad."

* * *

 _-present day-_

Stella could hear her friends before she could see them. She smirked at the sounds of their cheering and applause. Her excitement at seeing them after months of being apart filled her to the brim, but her exterior remained cool as ever.

The guard who was leading her out gestured to the front door. "Your welcoming committee has been waiting almost an hour," she said discontentedly.

"Good thing I'm worth the wait," Stella retorted. She swiveled on her heel and began walking backward out of the detention center, sloppily saluting the woman before her. "I'll see you next time, Gloria."

"I sure hope not. And that's Officer Daniels to you!"

Stella ignored her and pushed through the doors. She was met by a chilling gust of wind that made her very aware of the lack of her Serpent jacket. But her mind was taken off the cold when her eyes landed on Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs mere yards away from her. They somehow grew even louder when they saw her. Her smirk became a full-blown grin.

Stella gave them a playful bow and was nearly toppled over when she straightened back up due to Toni launching herself at her. The force of the impact made Stella drop all the things she held in the crook of her arm. Toni wrapped her deceivingly strong arms around Stella's waist and she returned the gesture, not caring that all her stuff was scattered on the damp ground. All she cared about was being in her best friends embrace after being so long without it. Stella let out a chuckle at Toni's enthusiastic squeal as they rocked back and forth.

Toni pulled away just enough to look Stella in the eyes. "I missed you so much, you have no idea."

Sweet Pea stooped to gather up Stella's belongings for her. He slung his other arm around Stella's shoulders and squeezed her. "Well, don't hog her. We all missed her." Tilting her head up, Stella captured his gaze and he winked at her to which she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, _all_ of us," Fangs said pointedly. He dragged Stella away from the other two, lifting her up without warning to spin her around in one of his famous hugs.

"Okay, that's enough, Fangsy," Stella choked out as she struggled to escape his vice-like grip. Her feet hit the sidewalk and she sighed, rearranging her rumpled gray t-shirt.

Fangs narrowed his eyes at her. He was only just realizing how inappropriately she was dressed for the dreary weather. "Why're you wearing that?"

"Because it was warmer when I was arrested," Stella pointed out in a disgruntled manner. At least she was wearing jeans, though they had their fair share of rips in the fabric.

"You're definitely missing something," Sweet Pea piped up from behind her.

Stella glanced towards him to see he was dangling an all too familiar leather jacket in her direction. Her eyes widened at the sight of it. She lunged forward to snatch it from his grasp, suppressing a gasp of excitement. She held it at arm's length and admired the patch covering the back that branded her a part of the Southside Serpent gang just as much as the tattoo on her wrist. Desperate to be reunited with it, Stella slipped the jacket on without delay. She relished in its warmth and the way it molded to her like a second skin that she never wanted to shed. It was such a natural feeling to her, the jacket like an extension of herself. She felt naked when she was without it.

"Much better," Toni said with a nod of approval. "Now you're starting to look more like yourself."

"Pale and scary?" Stella teased.

"Oh, please, you're beautiful and you know it," Toni returned. Stella wasn't one for blushing, but she felt heat begin crawling up to her cheeks at the compliment. It spread when Toni reached up to play with her hair. "We have to do something about this, though," she said, and Stella agreed. Her dark roots were growing out and the green dye that typically saturated her locks was fading to an awkward in-between color. It wasn't her best look.

Clearing her throat, Stella subtly swept Toni's fingers away. She peered down at her combat boots hoping that her face wasn't an unflattering shade of crimson. "Yeah, unfortunately there's no hair dye behind bars," she said.

"Looks like I brought you the perfect gift, then," Toni muttered as she began digging around in her large purse. She finally produced a small box containing the particular brand of hair dye Stella used. "Ta-da!" She presented it with a proud beam.

"You know me so well," Stella said as she gratefully took the package.

"Come on, let's get the hell outta here before one of us ends up in cuffs again," Sweet Pea called out. He and Fangs had already gone back to their bikes and were waiting for the girls to join them. They hadn't even noticed the boys retreat.

"He's right, you've got a welcome home party to get ready for," Toni said with a lilt of excitement. She grabbed Stella's hand and led her away from the building.

Toni hopped on the back of Fangs' motorcycle leaving Stella to join Sweet Pea. She reluctantly straddled the seat behind him, strapping on his spare helmet. His body stiffened as the engine roared to life and she secured her arms around his stomach.

Leaning her chin on his broad shoulder, Stella asked the question that had been plaguing her mind during the months she was away.

"So...what have I missed?"

* * *

 **A/N: At long last, I have finally posted the first chapter of this story! Those who have been following me on tumblr _( recklessyouthinme)_ know that it has been awhile in the making. Also, if you'd like updates/edits and such for this story you can follow my blog if you aren't already because I post stuff about it all the time. And I want to give a special shoutout to Ariella and Moony who have been so supportive of me during this process, I love you ladies. Anyways, I really hope you all enjoyed this intro to _Serpent in the Water_! Please leave a review to let me know your thoughts. Validation fuels me. Thank you for taking the time to read, it means the world! **


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